Control device for railway signals and switches and the like



July 10, 1934. E. PACILLI 1,965,930

CONTROL DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHES AND THE LIKE Filed March21, 1933 INVENTOR' ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 10, 1934 CONTROL DEVICE FOR RAILWAY SIGNALS AND SWITCHESAND THE LIKE Emidio Pacilli, Milan, Italy Application March 21,

1933, Serial No. 661,958

In Italy March 25, 1932 2 Claims.

The object of the present invention, is a con- 10 directions, on thecontrol rod of the mechanism so as to induce in this an axial movement,either in one direction or in the other.

One form of carrying out the object of the invention is shown, merely byway of example, in the attached drawing.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal projection, partially in section, of thecontrol device.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

7 Since signals, semaphores or the like, have a stable position (thiscorresponding to line closed) caused by appropriate counter-weights, itis sufficient for the control device to act only in the direction awayfrom that of a closed line to the position of line clear.

But the action in the opposite direction may be rendered necessary inthe case where the signal, after being placed at line clear, is, whenthe action of the mechanism is stopped, prevented from returning to.line closed, on account, for instance, of accumulations of ice in thevarious members of the transmission line to the signals.

The form illustrated is suitable to permit of transmission of themovement in both directions.

Rod 1 is attached to the signal; solidly attached to this rod are theparts 3-3 of the double ball bearing 233. The middle ring 2 carries twoprojections (or studs) 4 placed at 180 apart, which can slide in twoslots 5 cut in a hollow shaft 6 of the motor '7.

On this hollow shaft 6 two collars 8, 9, are arranged. Collar 8 carriesbolts 10 supporting the rods 11 carrying the swinging masses 12 whilstto collar 9 guides 13 of the said swinging masses 12 are fixed.

To collar 8 two studs 14 are fixed at 180 apart and two other studs 15also at 180 apart.

Similarly, to collar 9 studs 16 and 17 are fixed in pairs, those of eachpair being 180 apart.

Internally to and coaxially with the hollow shaft 6 is placed a tube orliner 18.

The above mentioned slots 5 in shaft 6 are 2 shaped (see appendices 5')and are arranged at 180 apart, studs 15 and 17 sliding in these slots.

Other longitudinal slots 19 in shaft 6 serve to move freely studs 14 and16. Liner tube 18 has also slots 20 corresponding to those (19) in shaft6, in which slots (20) studs 16 and 17 are slidably guided. This sametube 18 is provided with suificiently wide slots 21 to allow studs 15and 17 to move freely in them, even circumferentially through an anglecorresponding to the appendices 5' in slots 5.

The duty of tube 18 is, through slots 20, to prevent relative rotationbetween collars 8 and 9.

At the beginning of the movement the two collars are in the extremepositions in which studs 15 and 17 are in line with the cross slots 5 ofslots 5 of shaft 6. This is obtained through the action ofcounter-spring 22; it may, however, also be obtained by the weight ofmasses 12 themselves if the guides 13, instead of being horizontal havea slight inclination towards the axis of rotation.

Since, at the beginning of movement the collars after a resistance torotation, on account of the inertia of the masses attached-t0 them, thepositions of studs 15 and 17 relatively to slots 5 will be changedaccording to the direction of rotation, so that the relative functionsof the two collars 89, will be interchanged, one remaining fixed axiallywhilst the other moves towards the first. For example, supposing, rod 1to be up, as shown in the drawing in full line and with the motorrunning in one direction, the studs 17 of collar 9 will catch in thetransverse slots 5' of slots 5 whilst studs 15 of collar 8 will be freedfrom these transverse slots; consequently,

collar 9 will be prevented from moving upwards whereas collar 8 will befree to move down. Such movement is due to the pull exercised, throughrods 11, by the swinging masses 12 sliding in guides 13 as the effect ofcentrifugal force. When descending, the foot of collar 8 presses on theprojections 4 of rings 2 and 23 therefore rod 1 is drawn down, arrivingat the lowest position (corresponding to 4' dotted representingprojection 4). The masses 12 are drawn back to the position of rest whenthe motor is stopped, and collar 8 then rises. If now the motor rotatesin the opposite direction, it will be studs 15 which will catch in thetransverse slots 5' of slots 5 and then collar 8 will be prevented frommoving while collar 9 will move up pushing with its upper edge 24 on toprojection 4 and through it on to controlrod 1.

If we suppose this rod to be attached to the rods controlling theswitches of a railway track, either directly or through transmissionmeans it will be clear that the described control-device may be used forworking switches.

In such an application of the mechanism, if any external action shouldoccur from the wheels of the vehicle not taking the switches properly orrunning back through the switches it is clear that this would affect rod1, but, on account of the free run of projection 4, it could not haveany influence on the mechanism nor on the motor '7.

The essential advantage of the new controlclevice must be noted; this iswhen the switches have been changed over, the motor may be stopped withperfect safety.

In practice variations of construction and of application of thecontrol-device according to the invention may be introduced withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention and therefore from the controlof the industrial patent.

What I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A control device for railway signals and the like comprising a hollowrotatable and slotted shaft, an operating member arranged within theshaft, pins mounted on the said member and slidably engaging the slotsin the shaft, a centrifugal governor operably mounted on the shaft andincluding collars slidably and only partially rotatably connected to theshaft, masses radially slidable on the inner of said collars,connections ivoted to the outer of said collars and operably connectedto said masses and cooperating with the masses to normally hold thecollars spaced, and the outer collar being arranged in contactingengagement with said pins, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. A control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an inner liner isfixed with the shaft and is provided with opposed longitudinal pairs ofslots, said shaft also having substantially Z- shaped slots arrangedwith their long portions longitudinally thereof and registering with theslots in the liner and their horizontal terminals extending in oppositedirections, and pins passing through the collars and engaging the slotsin the shaft and sleeve for connecting the collars to the shaft.

EMIDIO PACILLI.

